A Bird-Eye View into the Varney Sherman Campaign Organizations

Political campaigns in Liberia are getting quite interesting and exciting. The Varney Sherman Campaign for President 2005 is no exception. Cllr. Sherman is a member of the Liberia Action Party (LAP). In fact, he has been a member of LAP?s National Executive Committee for more than ten years. In 1997, he was LAP?s candidate for senator in the Special Elections, which ushered in the Taylor Government. But unlike other political parties, Varney Sherman is not the anointed candidate of LAP for the presidency. There is another LAP aspirant, Dr. Joseph Korto, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. LAP is particularly concerned that tenets of democracy are fully practiced within LAP in making the choice of who shall be the standard bearer for LAP.

The Varney Sherman Campaign for President 2005 is therefore an organization separate and distinct from LAP. It operates from offices separate and distinct from LAP. It is headed by Mr. Cletus Wortorson, the last standard bearer of LAP.

Under the Varney Sherman Campaign for President 2005 are several smaller organization; the most prominent of which is the Draft Varney Sherman for President 2005 Campaign Committee. It is the Drafting Committee, which organized and put together the March 15 program in Monrovia, Liberia. The Drafting Committee is now working in the communities around Monrovia to promote Varney Sherman for President. They would have extended their activities to other parts of Liberia by now had it not been for the ban on politics. The ban affects the Drafting Committee?s work because theirs usually culminates into a mass rally and/or parade.

In addition to the Drafting Committee, there is the Liberian for the Promotion of Democracy (LIPOD). These are about 250 young men and women dedicated to conscientizing and sensitizing Liberians about the qualification, character, vision and ability of Cllr. Sherman. They believe that democracy and good governance can be enjoyed by all Liberians if their candidate, Varney Sherman, is elected. The Drafting Committee is headed by Sam Cooper as Chairman. He is a member of the United People?s Party, not LAP.

Then there is Citizens United to Promote Sherman (CUPS). This organization?s primary goal is to take Varney Sherman to all junior and senior high schools throughout Liberia. CUPS believe that students constitute more than 20% of the voting population of Liberia. Students have been materially adversely affected by the Liberian civil conflict, and that students ought to get their voices and sentiments out there by getting involved in politics.

CUPS philosophizes that if students want a better environment to complete their education and training, they should vote in office a president who never supported a warring faction or was a member of a warring faction, so as to ensure that the circle of violence would stop once and for all. CUPS also believes that Varney Sherman, a beneficiary of good education as the opportunity to transcend his humble beginnings in Robertsport, is the candidate most committed to making education available to all and investing in education for the future of Liberia. Sam Kabbah as Chairman heads CUPS. He has never been a member of a political party.

There is Liberian United for Varney Sherman (LUVAS), which is composed of men and women, whose origin is from counties other than Montserrado. Their primary goal is to get Varney Sherman, his vision and message to all internally displaced people. War has affected the lives of displaced people, dislocated them and subjected them to suffering, poverty and diseases. Varney Sherman is their hope for a better tomorrow; Varney Sherman will invest in re-locating them and re-establishing their lives. Jerry Mulbah as Chairman heads LUVAS. He too has never been a member of a political party.

Then there is Women for the Promotion of Varney Sherman (WOPVAS); and this is an organization consisting principally of women. WOPVAS submits that women and children have been the worse victims of the civil conflict and they are committed to ensuring that war is never the answer to Liberia?s problems. To stop the circle of wars, WOPVAS believes that one who was never involved in the war either as a protagonist or as supporter of a protagonist should be the next President of Liberia. WOPVAS also believes that this time around, women should be actively involved in politics and that a Varney Sherman presidency will make that possible. Emily Cooper heads WOPVAS as its Chairman. She is a member of the Liberia Unification Party, not LAP.

There is the Religious Advisory Council for the Varney Sherman Campaign (RAC); and the RAC advises the Campaign on religious issues, which impact the lives of the Liberian people. The RAC also counsel Varney Sherman himself in his faith in God and guides the Varney Sherman Campaign to achieve the moral authority that is desirable for good governance in Liberia. Rev. Benjamin Yeanay, a Baptist minister, heads the RAC. He is not a priest from Varney Sherman?s Protestant Episcopal denomination.

In addition to these various organizations, there is a Movement for Varney Sherman in each of the political sub-divisions, except Montserrado. For example, there is a Bassa Movement for Varney Sherman headed by Mr. Obediah Denwiah as Chairman; there is a Margibi Movement for Varney Sherman, headed by Rev. Charles McGee; and there is a Bong Movement for Varney Sherman, headed by Mr. Martin Kerkula. In summary, the Varney Sherman Campaign is in every nook and corner of Liberia.

Until LAP?s Convention later this year when Varney Sherman shall be selected as the standard bearer for LAP, the Varney Sherman Campaign Organizations shall be working parallel with LAP. The two will converge only after Varney Sherman is selected as standard-bearer of LAP.